What happened
During an instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country flight, an aircraft disappeared from radio contact while on its final approach. The flight had commenced roughly three hours and 45 minutes before the incident. After the loss of communication, the wreckage was discovered the next day, situated about 2.8 miles from the intended destination airport. The aircraft had struck the ground in a vertical descent with a flat attitude, eventually coming to rest upright on its wings and fuselage. The structural integrity of the cockpit and cabin remained intact, and the wings stayed attached to the fuselage. Notably, there was no evidence of forward velocity or leading-edge deformation on the airframe.
At the time of the event, the area was experiencing night conditions with low visibility and low ceilings caused by mist and snow. Air traffic control records show that after the aircraft entered a holding pattern at 11,000 feet, the pilot received an ILS approach clearance. Two minutes after acknowledging this clearance, all contact with the pilot was lost.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage revealed mixed ice accumulation on the leading edges of both wings. This was consistent with reports from other pilots performing the same ILS approach, who also encountered mixed icing during their descent and final approach. A mechanical inspection of the aircraft showed no signs of engine or system failure. The pilot had a total flight time of approximately 1,987 hours, but recent experience was limited, with only 40 hours flown in the six months prior to the accident. Furthermore, the pilot had only 51 hours of total night flying experience and had not logged any night operations in the preceding six months. Mixed ice accumulation was present on the aircraft's wings at the time of the crash.